Not yet in the archive

Looking forany autograph
← BACK TO THE CHECKLIST← OLLIE JOHNSONDAMIAN JONES →
☹NO PHOTO YETStill hunting anything signed. Can you help?

Nate Johnston

Out of the University of Tampa, where he played from 1984 to 1988, the 6-foot-8 forward earned a footnote in expansion history: the Miami Heat made him one of their first-ever draft picks, taking him 59th overall in 1988 ahead of their inaugural season.

His NBA window was brief — appearances with both the Utah Jazz and the Portland Trail Blazers during the 1989-90 season — but reaching the league at all from a small Florida program was its own achievement.

HOW HE CAME & WENTUndrafted, he made his NBA debut for the Jazz early in 1989-90. Those 21 games were his entire NBA career.

Utah Jazz tenure
1989–90
Position
Forward
Born
1968
Height
6′8″ (203 cm)
Weight
209 lb (95 kg)
College
Tampa
Drafted
undrafted
Why this player is hard to find
Six games for Utah before a long career overseas. Only unsigned CBA cards are known.
Already in the archive — but unsigned 1991-92 ProCards CBA RAPID CITY THRILLERS singles. This card is on the shelf; the signature is the missing half. That is why Nate Johnston still counts as an open position.
Do you have anything signed by Nate Johnston?
A card, an index card, a photo, a program — anything authentic. I'm a collector building an autograph archive of every player in Utah Jazz history (319 of 370 so far). I cover postage both ways and answer every message.

✉️ contact@everyjazzman.com
← BACK TO THE CHECKLIST← OLLIE JOHNSONDAMIAN JONES →

With the Jazz

NATE JOHNSTON · 1989–90 · PER GAME
SEASONTEAMGMPGPPGRPGAPGSPGBPGFG%3P%FT%
1989–90UTA62.21.80.30.00.00.2.3641.0001.000
JAZZ TOTAL1 SEASON62.21.80.30.00.00.2.3641.0001.000

Season by season, regular season, with this franchise only. More info: Basketball-Reference ↗  ·  Wikipedia ↗

Did you know

NATE JOHNSTON · 8 NOTES
  • Played most of his professional career outside the United States.
  • Was on the Portland Trail Blazers' 1990 NBA Finals roster, playing three playoff games.
  • Still holds the University of Tampa's all-time rebounding records and entered its Hall of Fame in 2002.
  • Born in Birmingham, Alabama, he played his high school ball at Glades Central in Belle Glade, Florida.
  • He won a Venezuelan league title in 2001 and both the Portuguese league and Supercup in 2000.
  • His playing career ran sixteen years and touched at least seven countries before he stopped in 2004.
  • In six Jazz games he went 1-for-1 from three-point range and never missed a free throw.
  • At Tampa he grew from 9.3 points as a freshman to 19.7 points and 2.8 blocks as a senior All-American.